We stopped in while out-in-about at the Winter Garden Music Festival. If you're not looking for…read morethis place you could easily pass it as the entrance is off of an alley connected to Plant Street. There is an elevator that will take you to the second floor and the entrance to Pilars Martini & Loft is right in front of you when you exit. There are also restrooms available and medium sized air-conditioned lobby where you can take calls if Pilars has live music inside. Pilars is an upscale lounge and music club. When we arrived, the live entertainment was setting up for later that evening. It was actually nice having the calm contrast to what was happening in the streets currently. Food here seems fairly high-end; it's Market-to-table so everything is a bit pricy. Appetizers start at $14, one of their most expensive appetizers is Seared Foie Gras ($26). If you're not a big spender, they do have Chicken Wings or BBQ Short Rib Sliders for $14, and a Market Burger for $16. If you're looking for something a little more special, they have Filet Mignon ($86), Lamb Shank ($42), Braised Beef Short Ribs ($46), and Iberico Pork ($76). Most of their specialty drinks will run you between $12-$14. Beers are between $6-$9 and non-alcoholic drinks anywhere between $2.50-$8. We didn't stay too long because we were bopping around checking out different places during the festival, but if you are looking for a great place to take a date or have a nice evening out with friends, listening to great live music and Jazz this is a premier spot in the Winter Garden area.

Sunday Jazz 5 pm. -7 pm. Always amazing!! A definite recommend. No cover!! Good jazz ,check it…read moreout!! I think u will luv it!!

Such a cozy hidden gem in downtown Mount Dora. While walking upstairs, I never expected it to open…read moreup such a beautiful sunroom with ambient lighting and coil drinks stopped for happy hour and was able to see that the crowd was bustling. The staff was inviting and the drinks were flowing. I've heard about this place from many of people and always thought about going there at night but I'm glad I stopped by for happy hours so I can actually see it was like before the crowds got too wild. It's definitely someplace that's worth checking out and experiencing.

The decor, music, and overall vibe of this place is so fun--definitely a great spot for a night…read moreout. Even on a busy Friday evening, I was able to snag a cozy round table in the back for my friend and me, which was a pleasant surprise. Bonus points for the upstairs bathrooms not requiring a code (unlike the ones downstairs)--a small but appreciated detail! I ordered an espresso martini that was dairy-free (which I love), but it ended up being a bit too sweet and slightly watery for my taste. I only took a few sips before deciding not to finish it--not bad, just not quite for me. Since I was the DD, I didn't bother swapping it out, but it was still the right call. My friend's gin cocktail, on the other hand, was light, mild, and super refreshing--she loved it! Also, shoutout to the bartender for bringing the drinks over to our table--such a nice touch. I'd absolutely come back and give another cocktail a try. The atmosphere & service alone makes it worth a return visit!

Came here one day during a planned day out in Mt. Dora. A quaint little town northwest of Orlando…read more There's shopping, some nice little restaurants, and a big ol' lake that you can rent a catboat on and drive it around. That's what we did that morning. Ambiance was great. It felt like each little dining area was a different room in a big, semi-haunted mansion. Eclectic books and paintings and mirrors and other baubles adorned much of the walls, making for plenty of looking around time during you meal. Very fun. Service was really good. The pacing of the meal was great, and our server was very friendly. We were always with drink, and she knew the menu backwards and forwards, even the special dishes of the night. As for the food, we went whole hog with two apps, two mains, and a dessert to share. Out of everything we ordered, only one of them remains on the current menu, which is a great sign. I love a rotating, seasonal menu. It shows effort, and it definitely encourages return patronage. We started with the Ciabatta Board (toasted ciabatta, house butter made with sun dried tomato, roasted red pepper, parmesan, garlic, chive). This was nice. It was very sun dried tomato, so if you don't like them, don't get this. But very soft, toasty bread made this very lovely. We also got an escargot app which was very creamy and soup-like. The snails were complimented well by the spinach. And the whole thing came with a nice little breadstick. I saved some of the bread from the board for some sopping. Pro move. For our mains, we got a miso butter New York strip and some sort of Asian themed duck. For both mains, the proteins were cooked very very well, and the portion sizes were a good size compared to what I was expecting. Both sets of taters were good. The mash was very smooth and creamy, the roasted baby potatoes were cooked all the way through and were nice and naturally buttery. Both were served with a seasonal veg mix that was pretty ok. It rounded out the plate, but it won't change your world or anything. We finished off with one of the best slices of cheesecake I've ever had. Incredibly smooth with the perfect cheesecake density, the perfect amount of chocolate chips inside, and a nice little crust that added that little bit of texture that is needed from the crust. Overall, quite a meal! To survive in a small town with these prices and those quality ingredientes and that unique of a menu design is very impressive. I will certainly be back.

Pros: Ambiance was awesome. Very intimate, felt like a…read morelabyrinth of rooms in an old, dank mansion. I loved it. Service was great, too. Our server was really nice, made good recommendations, and the food was paced absolutely perfectly. The food itself was the best part. Crazy unique menu items that promised a lot and delivered a lot. Cons: Not a single con. A great little visit. Tips: The menu has completely changed since we went, which is good, so I can't recommend any specific dishes. But the ones I see on the menu now look absolutely banging.

Very sad they are closing this amazing bar with high ceiling and great sounds. The best local djs…read moreplayed here. Free parking around! Good drinks..... goodbye

Brought in the new year with a few close friends at a private NYE Soirée gathering at The Oliv bar…read more Having been prior before for another event, I was excited to revisit this cute little local bar but without the overly huge crowd. And as to be expected, the event was amazing. Drinks were good - averagely priced. We also got a welcome shot and a glass of champagne to toast with to bring in the new year! Staff were super friendly and very attentive. I believe the control of the guest capacity aided in that as well because the staff were not overwhelmed and had the ability to attend to all guests in a timely manner. The music (DJ invited to curate the tunes for that evening) was great! Vibes were perfect and again, I put emphasis on the fact that this event was private so we were not crammed into this space. The Oliv Bar is on the quainter side of local bars but it's truly a nice venue. It has tree in the center - which adds a unique twits to the space. The bay windows add another level of uniqueness to the space as well but, pose a capacity challenge since the space is circular in nature. And circular spaces tend to foster areas of non-usable space. Beyond that, it's a unique design experience that isn't necessarily seen in most places. So, I appreciate that as an architectural designer. All in all, I'll definitely recommend this local bar. It's worth going on a regular night as well, as they aren't super packed and you can experience the vibes of the space without being overwhelmed with larger crowds - like you'll see more in the bars in downtown. Great event. Great space. Cannot wait to see what this year brings us all!!

We had a mix of items and overall enjoyed our meal. The kids' chicken tenders and fries were good,…read moreand the shrimp tacos were tasty as well. The fish tacos were ok and could have used a sauce to bring everything together. The mac and cheese wasn't a hit even with our child. The fries served with the tacos were cold, so I think they would have been much better if they had been served hot. Hot honey shrimp tacos were good. Overall, there were some things we enjoyed and some that could be improved, but it was a decent experience.

I had fairly low expectations for this place, but the jalapeno burger was excellent. The peppers…read morewere deep fried, the cheese was some weird soft tasty stuff, and the smash burgers were well done like I asked for. The pickles on the standard burger were good as well. Usual food service pickles are not. Service from Carie was excellent.

Oh my goodness!!! What a hidden gem. From the moment I walked in, I knew I found my new favorite…read morespot. If you live in The Villages, you know how blah the food is. Casual environment, yet classy. Quiet but not boring. It's truly a great find! Lunchtime ends at 3pm and I was an hour early and was greeted by Tambra at the pleasantly appointed bar seating. Not recognizing me, she addressed the menu favorites and daily specials and suggested the pictured dish which was perfect. Here's to a new beginning:)

The 4 of us had dinner at Turner's. The decor was nice, pretty dark, but had an open feel…read more Upon looking at the menu, I quickly realized that this menu was different from what I saw on Yelp. As a vegetarian and my wife being Gluten Free, we wondered what we would order. If we knew our friends better, we would have suggested going elsewhere, but did not say much. I saw that they have a side salad and wondered if they could make that into an entree portion for me. The very nice waitress came back with a resounding 'no', they could not accommodate. The menu was almost 100% meat or fish. There was one vegetarian plate, which was expensive and I could not see the value reflected in the rather large asking price. Instead, I ordered 3 sides, Brussel Sprouts, grits and sweet potatoes, each $5.00. They were all good with the exception of the Brussel Sprouts having a gas taste. So too much flame there. My wife eats meat and had the Prime Rib (first time in 20 years). She said it was good and it was $34. The Salmon was also $34. Our friends each had the blackened salmon and they were also $34. These came with 1 side. To us, we felt the food was overpriced. The mostly meat menu caters obviously to only meat eaters and the owner was not willing to make any changes as our friend wanted to leave the bacon oil out, and that didn't happen. I suppose they do not need our business and our friends felt the same way. Of course, after hearing such good things about the place, we were sorry we went there. Or course, if in the future the name of the restaurant comes up, we will share our experiences. Word of mouth advertising came be good or bad. Seemed like the waitress has had to give the 'no change' answer lots of times before. So, this was not our kind of restaurant as they didn't serve what we wanted. Oh well, we tried.

Want an real oyster bar? Tiki west is the place. Cold great Louisiana oysters opened and presented…read moreon the bar. The peel and eat shrimp were amazing . The married couple, who work behind the bar are as nice and as attentive as you can get. 5 stars

We visited after a day in Mt. Dora, and it was a busy summer Saturday night! Lots of folks seated…read moreinside and on the patio. Despite the dinner rush, our server was lovely and attentive. Started with the dozen chargrilled oysters which were flavorful and the best part of my meal. I also appreciated the French bread provided with the oysters. I had a pound of the peel and eat shrimp in the spicy garlic sauce served hot. It was a Saturday pricing special and definitely a good deal. The shrimp were not deveined so peeling them took a bit more effort, which is not a dealbreaker for me but something to know if you prefer deveined shrimp. The quality of the shrimp varied - some were large, some small, some were fresh, a few were mushy/overcooked. Served with drawn butter and cocktail sauce, which were great complements. I'd probably do no old bay or sauce at all next time, as I liked the sauce less as I continued eating. All in all, I'd return again for the oysters and try out other menu items!

Our second time here. It took me over a year and a half to give them another try. The first time,…read moreeverything went wrong. Didn't like the food, tried a few items that the Manager insisted on in an effort to appease is, without meat and my wife with Celiac. But we left feeling we would never try it again. This time here, now maybe new owners and changed menu, lunch was fabulous. We split 2 salmon dishes, a lunch and a dinner entree as well as sharing a salad with their great house dressing creamy garlic-Caesar. We prefer romaine over the spring mix and they were happy to accommodate. The waitress, Joelle was wonderful! The bread came out with a great infused oil for dipping. It would have been nice if it was brought out without asking for it, but maybe she thought I would not want it as my wife was the one with Celiac. Someone here knows how to create wonderful sauces, which cab make ALL the difference in making a restaurant make it or break it. The flavors of the balsamic glaze, salad dressings and the blackened tartare were excellent! We ate outside, watching people and enjoying the nice weather. We WILL be back!

Food was very tasty and portions were large so you can share if you are a lighter eater.read more